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Ulster Unionist West Tyrone assembly member Derek Hussey has said that with school bus accidents at the highest level for five years, the government must now immediately act to remove the ‘3 for 2’ rule.

According to figures revealed by the government in a Parliamentary Answer, there were 245 school bus accidents across Northern Ireland last year. This was the highest number since 1999/2000 which saw 291 accidents.

In a statement, Mr Hussey said: “With accidents for 2005/2006 up 63 on the previous 12 months, it is now absolutely critical that the department comes forward with the necessary funding to ensure that ‘3 for 2’ is scrapped.

“While I realise that the majority of incidents are minor in nature, this substantial increase places added impetus on the government to act.

“In this instance, decision-making must be about averting tragedy and not reacting to it.”

He added: “In 2001 the Assembly was told that the abolition of ‘3 for 2’ might cost about £2.4 million for additional buses and an extra £1 million per annum in running costs.

“Let’s put a figure like this into context. The government recently revealed that up to £115 million of public money was wasted last year through fraudulent and erroneous social security pay outs.

“Inefficiency and lax financial management in some areas of government impacts on all areas of government. The public money is there – it needs to be properly managed and targeted for best effect. There is latitude for government to find the funding.”

He added: “Last month, the ‘Safer Journeys to School’ report recommended abolishing the ‘3 for 2’ rule. The Department for Regional Development was a co-sponsor of the report. How is the department taking this forward?

“Those in authority must take their responsibilities seriously if we are to create the safest possible environment for children travelling to and from school.”

Ulster Unionist West Tyrone assembly member, Derek Hussey, has said that the DUP’s calls to extend the November 24 deadline by two weeks must be interpreted as a “statement of intent” that a deal can be done within the next six months.

In a statement, Mr Hussey said: “Dr Paisley must firmly believe that there is room for accommodation between the DUP and Sinn Fein – otherwise why ask for more time. Time to do what?

“This is a significant move. By locking themselves into a deadline of their own making, the DUP are making a confident prediction on the prospects for an accommodation with Sinn Fein, and other parties. If Dr Paisley didn’t think it was going to happen, he wouldn’t go for an extension.

“But what have the DUP pocketed in order to commit to this deadline? The public have no stomach for secret side deals – I would call upon the DUP to reveal full details of what their intentions are so that the people of Northern Ireland can make their own assessment.”

West Tyrone MLA and UUP spokesperson for Victims Issues Derek Hussey has said that employers should make a conscious effort to help stamp out bullying in the workplace as an unhappy working environment only contributes to higher levels of sick leave and absenteeism.

Mr Hussey’s comments follow a report by the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland which states that more than 9,000 cases of bullying in the workplace are reported every year.

Mr Hussey said:

“Employers should consider it in their best interest to ensure that the working environment is free from unnecessary tension. This kind of hostile working environment can have a serious effect on staff morale, decreasing productivity and increasing depression, with the unfavourable knock on effect of higher levels of sick leave and absenteeism.

“Communication and respect is the key to removing underlying tensions in the workplace and a more positive and productive environment is certainly in the best interest of everyone. This is something that bullies in the workplace would do well to remember when they are making the lives of others a misery.”

Mr Hussey continued:

“More often than not people aren’t aware of their rights and may regard bullying or harassing behaviour as ‘the norm’. New pieces of Statutory Employment Legislation were introduced on 1st October 2005 to define discrimination and harassment of both men and women in the workplace and managers should make it a priority to make sure this knowledge is well circulated.

“Shouting and swearing, punishments dispensed out of the blue, persistent criticism, ostracising colleagues or making threats  - these are just a few types of intimidation which some employees may face on a regular basis – this simply cannot go on”.

Strabane District Policing Partnership member Derek Hussey has warned that those trumpeting the value of community-based Restorative Justice Schemes must be prepared to support the vital role of the police in criminal matters.

The UUP West Tyrone MLA argues that the schemes must be integral to current policing practice rather than being seen as a possible alternative way of dealing with crime related issues.

Mr. Hussey said:

“I welcome the Policing Board’s detailed response to the NIO’s draft guidelines on community-based Restorative Justice Schemes which makes quite clear its concern that the current draft guidelines present a very real and inherent risk of schemes becoming an ‘alternative’ to established elements of the criminal justice system.

“Any dissolution of the powers or role of the police and the courts cannot be tolerated. They must remain the bedrock of how we deal with crime in the future. I fear that too many people see these schemes as alternatives to the police service and the courts system and this must be addressed quickly. A lot of important work has been carried out in this area and the potential contribution that community based Restorative Justice Schemes have to make must continue to be assessed.

“However, I agree with the Board that as an integral part of the criminal justice system, all organisations wishing to participate must give unqualified acceptance to the role of the Police Service within the criminal justice system that the schemes will become a part of. Confidence in that system will not be promoted if there are organisations within it that are endorsed by the Government who do not acknowledge the legitimacy of one of the scheme’s key partners, namely the police.

“That is why I personally consider the draft guidelines to be unacceptable and would hope to see new guidelines drafted. There must be a clear definition of the types of ‘low level crime’ that CBRJ Schemes would deal with. The overall responsibility for ensuring that schemes are held to account should be given to an oversight body.

“Whether this role is given to a new organisation established for that purpose, or goes to the Probation Board for Northern Ireland or the Policing Board itself, is open to further consideration. A truly independent external complaints system needed to be established.”

Mr. Hussey said he also endorsed Board’s findings that schemes need to operate to the highest standards both with regard to human rights and to have in place robust human resources and training management systems to enable schemes to recruit, train and assess their staff.

“Anyone wishing to work for a scheme should have their application submitted to the oversight body who would take appropriate measures to ensure that applicants are not involved in paramilitary or criminal activity.”

Ulster Unionist West Tyrone assembly member, Derek Hussey, has expressed his disgust at Saturday’s scenes in Dublin when republican orchestrated violence erupted resulting in untold damage to the city’s economy, injury to many police personnel and the cancellation of a legitimate protest parade by ordinary people wishing to highlight the feelings and concerns of those who have suffered death injury and trauma at the hands of militant republicanism.

“Many in the Irish Republic, at all levels of society, appear to have been shocked by Saturday’s events in their capital city but unfortunately those of us living in Northern Ireland have endured such fascist behavior for many years from those who would claim to endorse an ‘island of equals’. Republicans have shown that they are just a capable of inflicting terror on the streets of the Irish Republic as they are and have been in Northern Ireland.”

Ulster Unionist West Tyrone assembly member, Derek Hussey, has said that supermarket chain ASDA’s decision to relocate to a larger site in Strabane is an enormous boost for the region.

“This will all certainly assist the ongoing revitalisation of this entire section of the town as the new store is planned to begin trading in 2007 when Strabane’s new Arts Centre is also due to open in the same area.”

Ulster Unionist West Tyrone assembly member, and Victims Spokesperson, Derek Hussey, has welcomed the Secretary of State’s decision to withdraw the Northern Ireland Offences Bill today as the only logical step to be made.

“If government is really interested in building the trust and confidence necessary to move forward, then it will reflect the views of victims and categorically state that this Bill will not be reprised at any stage in the future.”